Some Tag Games - Plain, Cross, Ostrich, Ding-dong, Tom, Ball, and Japanese

The excitement of tag games adds much to the fun of being in the water, and most of the games described here require little in the way of aquatic skill for enjoyment.

Plain tag-One player is It, and the others in the game try to keep out of reach by swimming and diving into the water.

Cross tag-The one who is It points out his subject. The one selected must keep out of the way of It, for if he is touched he becomes It. If any player is caught between the man being chased and It, then that player becomes the one to be chased.

Ostrich tag-The participants are all bunched together at one end of the pool or in shallow water. The one named to be It must start chasing the others until he catches one. But to keep from being caught, a player can be safe by having one of his arms under one of his legs, and holding his nose with thumb and fingers. If he breaks this pose, he can be tagged, becomes It, and the game continues.

Ding-dong bell-About a dozen players make this an exciting game. All except one are blindfolded with cloths which will not readily become undone. The one swimmer who can see goes into the water carrying a cowbell or similar small bell. At intervals he rings the bell and dives down into the water as he does so. The man with the bell is It until one of the blindfolded players catches him. Then the bell man takes the blindfold, and the one who caught him becomes the new It.

Tom, tom pull away-All players except the one who is It line up on one side of the pool; It stands on the opposite side. The one who is It calls out “Tom, Tom,” when everyone must plunge across the pool. Whoever is caught before reaching the other side helps catch others on the return plunge, and the game continues until all are caught. The game can be made more energetic by requiring that in order to be caught, a player must be pulled above the water if he is under the surface, or be ducked if caught on the surface, rather than merely being tagged.

Ball tag-This can be a fast game, when played in a limited-area. It can be played in waist-deep water for non-swimmers, in deep water for swimmers. Using a soft rubber ball, It tries to tag another player by hitting him with the ball. The one tagged becomes It. If It misses, the others may try to prevent him from recovering the ball.

Japanese tag-The “emperor,” a nonplayer, announces certain parts of the body which must be tagged by It; for example, “head,” “right shoulder,” “left hand,” etc. Those who are tagged must join It and try to tag the remaining players. In another variety of this game, the “emperor” calls out certain parts of the body which must be out of the water to gain immunity from being tagged. It may tag any player not in the immune position. For example, the order may be “one foot out,” “head under water, right hand out,” “both feet out,” etc.

Tags: water sports

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